Girl Talk
by stanaticfanatic
Summary: A series of one-shots from random moments of conversations between Kate and Lanie, and maybe some other female characters too. Just some fun on what they could have talked about! Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: I have lots of ideas and so I'm starting another story. I know this is the third I have going now, but Trained to Kill and Wedding Speeches are both very nearly finished so I wanted to start this one now. If you're reading either of them, don't worry, they'll be finished next week! _**

**_So these will be set at random moments throughout the seasons, some between episodes maybe some in the middle of episodes. Feel free to let me know any times you'd like to see a conversation from! Also, other female characters may join in other chapters - Alexis and Jenny most likely, but I expect most will be Kate and Lanie._**

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**Timing: after 'A Death in the Family', before 'Deep in Death'.**

**PS: I am aware that Lanie didn't know what Castle had found at this point, but I'm sure we can forget that for this chapter ;) thank you to missy52061 for pointing it out!**

"He did it, Lanie," was all Kate said as the door to Lanie's apartment swung open.

"Did what? Made a move? About ti-"

"No, he didn't make a move," she interrupted, walking into Lanie's place and sinking onto her couch.

"Well what did he do then?" Lanie asked. She was confused, her best friend had shown up unannounced at her apartment, no explanation as to why she was here and not making much sense.

"The one thing I asked him not to do - he looked into my mothers case."

"That son of a bitch!" Lanie exclaimed, "god Kate, I'm so sorry, I never thought he'd do that, not when you made it clear that you didn't want him too."

"Me either. But he did," she collapsed her head into her hands, "why couldn't he just leave it alone? I told him how hard it was for me back then, does he want me to go back down that rabbit hole?"

"Here, drink this," Lanie said, handing her a tumbler with a shot of whisky. Kate downed it in one and put the glass down on the coffee table in front of her. "Did he say why he did it?"

"Told me he'd found something. I mean who the fuck does he think he is! I specifically asked him to drop it but when the hell does Richard fucking Castle ever listen to anything I say? God Lanie, the man is infuriating! He just doesn't stop, coming in and poking his nose into my mothers case with his hot shot forensic pathologist," she let out a deep breath before continuing, "how the hell does he even know the best forensic pathologist in the city anyway? Jesus, the man has contacts everywhere. I bet he even has an inside scoop on the freaking CIA." She stopped, suddenly realising Lanie hadn't said anything in a few minutes. Not that Kate had given her much chance to talk.

"Oh sweetie," Lanie soothed. Secretly, she thought feelings ran much deeper than Kate would admit, but now wasn't really the time to pry information out of her about that. "Did he tell you what he'd found?"

"Lanie! You're supposed to be on my side!"

"I am honey, you know I am! But the Richard Castle I know wouldn't have opened up those wounds if he didn't think it was worth it."

Kate sighed, Lanie was right. It can't have been easy for him, bringing that up, especially when he knew how much she'd hate him for it. Like she had told him - "_you touch my mothers case and you and I are done."_ He'd given up their working relationship for this, that can't have been a decision he'd made lightly.

"My moms murder wasn't random," she blurted out and Lanie almost dropped the glass she was holding.

Setting it down on the table before she could do some damage, she asked, "how did he find that out?" Lanie herself had looked over the autopsy files from Kate's moms murder and had found nothing. As far as she could tell, everything had been done properly by the ME at the time and the murder had been an act of random gang violence.

"His 'friend'" she held her fingers up to act as quotation marks for that part, "said something about the wounds being too practiced, apparently it was the work of a proffessional, probably a hired hit. Someone had my mom killed, Lanie," she whispered, tears threatening to spill over her eyes.

"Oh Kate, come here," Lanie said, pulling her friend into a tight hug, "it'll be okay, I promise." She was in shock herself at what Castle had uncovered. "Right, you're staying here tonight. Nope, no complaints," she added as Kate tried to refuse. "You're angry and upset and you have a gun and as much as Castle has pissed you off, I wouldn't be your best friend if I didn't stop you from killing him and plot a way to make his life a living hell instead."

"Thanks Lanie," she gave her a tearful smile, "you're the best."

"I know," Lanie said simply. "Now, what do you want for dinner? Chinese? Pizza? Thai? My treat."

"Uh, Chinese sounds good?"

"Great, you order and I'll grab you some comfier clothes to wear."

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An hour later and Kate and Lanie we're sat on the couch in swears with their Chinese take out and a bottle of red Lanie had found in a cupboard.

"You feeling better?"

"Yeah, I am a bit," Kate smiled, "thanks Lanie, this is exactly what I needed."

"No problem, what are best friends for?!" She took a deep breath before speaking again, "Castle was just trying to help, you know," she said quietly and waited for Beckett to bite her head off.

"I know," she replied to a surprised Lanie. "Oh don't look at me like that," she laughed, "I know he was just trying to help, that's all Castle ever does." The man seemed to have some insatiable need to please as many people as possible.

"So what're you gonna do?" She asked.

"I don't know. He knows how much he risked by telling me what he'd found but then I guess I'd be even more angry if he'd looked at he case and never said anything. But I'm still so angry that he went there in the first place, why couldn't he just leave it when I asked him too?!"

"Because he's crazy about you," Lanie said simply.

"Oh shut up," Kate scoffed, "he's not crazy about me, he can have any woman he wants, they fall all over him."

"Yeah, and you don't. You're right, he could have any woman he wants but he wants you."

Kate eyed her skeptically.

"And don't even think about denying that you want him too."

"I do not!"

"Oh please, you're mad about him."

Whatever you say, Lanie, whatever you say." Kate rolled her eyes, she was _not_ mad about Castle, she wasn't. "I think I'm just gonna have a break from him. I'm sure he's got enough research now to keep him going, I doubt he needs to come back anyway."

Lanie just smirked and said, "mmhmm, whatever you say."

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**_A/N: so, thoughts? As I said, if there's any times you wish there had been a conversation with them, I'm open to suggestions! Next might be after 2x01, about why Kate took Rick back. But yeah, reviews make me happy :)_**

**_twitter - holaitsjade | tumblr - stanaabanana _**


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: thank you for your reviews on the last chapter, they really do make me happy! We're actually going back in time right now, to after Flowers for your Grave..so yeah, chapter one hasn't happened yet ;)_**

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**Timing: anytime after Beckett has found out Castle will be following her, but before Nanny McDead.**

"So, you looking forward to having Richard Castle follow you around for a bit?" Lanie asked Kate. They were at Kate's apartment, Lanie having been invited over at very short notice due to Kate being grumpy and needing someone to drink with.

"Oh yeah, I can't wait for some egotistical, self-centered, playboy, jackass to annoy me all day at work," Kate replied sarcastically. She was dreading it, she absolutely hated Richard Castle, but as her Captain had explained, she wasn't getting out of it.

"He can't be that bad," Lanie said and suddenly realised that was the wrong thing to say at this moment.

"What do you mean not that bad? He's incorrigible, he has the attention span of an excited puppy, is like I nine year old on a sugar rush and doesn't listen to a word I say!" She took a deep breath and Lanie thought she had finished but apparently there was still more that Kate disliked about Richard Castle. "He doesn't care about the victims, he just wants material for his new book. He has this bad boy charm thing going on that drives me insane and I swear all he wants from me is sex. God I hate him," she finished finally.

"And you don't want to sleep with him?" Lanie asked.

"Lanie! Out of everything I just said about him and _that's_ what you focus on?"

"Well how can you blame me? The man is gorgeous, he's funny, he's a millionaire and he wants you. You're stupid to not go there," Lanie stated simply. She thought Kate was an idiot, there was no way Castle was as bad as Kate was making him out to be, the girl just needed to loosen up and have a little fun._ Ha, that'd be the day._

"Lanie," she grumbled, "you know me, you know I don't care how much money he has. In fact, I think it makes it worse in this case, just makes him so much more..more.."

"More what?" Lanie pressed.

"Ugh, I don't know. I just..I can't stand him! Do you know what he said to me at the end of the Tisdale case?" Lanie shook her head. "He asked me out to dinner, for a _debriefing_. I mean seriously? He's so fucking full of himself, I don't know how anyone can stand to be around him!"

"And you said no? Girl, are you crazy?!"

"Well I didn't just say no.." A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes.

"Okay, what did you say?"

"He said it would have been great.."

"And?"

"I told him he had no idea." She bit her lip, just as she had done during that conversation with Castle.

Lanie let out a laugh, god that girl was amazing. "And that's why he came back," she said, "I bet he's used to women rolling over whenever he says - but you? Well, you're a challenge to him."

"I don't want to be a challenge to him, I just want him to leave me alone!" Kate grumbled.

"Do you?" Lanie asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I..what is that supposed to mean?"

Lanie pursed her lips, trying her hardest to suppress a smile - Kate hadn't answered her question. "I don't know girl, you tell me?" Kate remained silent, waiting for Lanie to expand on her comments. "Ever heard of the phrase 'the lady doth protest too much'?"

"Yes, I have read Shakespeare." Kate replied snappily. This conversation was so not going the way she had envisioned it.

"Great, and I'm sure Castle knows Shakespeare too, given his profession, you've got something in common already!"

"Oh stop it. I don't want the man around but I don't have a choice."

"You do." Lanie said quietly.

"What?" Kate's head snapped up," "I told you what Montgomery told me, the mayor has practically insisted that Castle follow me around. Damn the man for having the freaking mayor on speed dial."

"Kate, I know how much you mean to Montgomery. He looks at you like a daughter, if you really didn't want Castle around then all you'd have to do is say and Montgomery would get rid of him, mayor on speed dial or not," Lanie said. She had a feeling Kate knew this already but was going with the 'I want him here but I'm going to pretend to hate him' routine. She knew why, she knew Kate didn't let people in and from what she'd seen of Castle herself so far, he was the kinda guy to poke and prod into peoples lives.

"I..no..I don't think..that's.." She sighed. Was Lanie right? Did she really want Castle around?

"Mm, well I think that's my answer," Lanie smiled. "So, why are you pretending you don't want him following you? I think it could be fun..especially if you agree to the whole debriefing thing - I want details!"

"Oh, I don't know. He drives me insane..but I haven't been this entertained at work in..well, ever." Lanie raised her eyebrows. "Okay, I'll admit it, he can be a _little_ fun," she conceded and Lanie practically squealed. "Do you really think he'd be as good as the others have said he is? In the bedroom, I mean," she asked thoughtfully. "Oh don't look so pleased with yourself, I'm not sleeping with him, not ever, I was just wondering, now that you've met him..what do you think?"

"Yeah well, never say never," Lanie winked and Kate rolled her eyes. "But yes, I honestly think he's as good as they say. I mean, have you seen those hands? Girl, that man totally knows what he's doing in the bedroom and I still say you should find out."

"Mm, you would. Told Javi you've got the hots for him yet, have you?" She teased. Lanie had blurted it out one night after a few too many drinks but she was convinced Espo wouldn't be interested in her - not that she was letting it have a chance.

"Katherine Beckett I told you that in confidence when I was drunk!"

"Oh relax, I haven't told anyone. I just think you're being a bit hypocritical, that's all."

"Yeah, but Javi is Javi. This is _Richard freaking Castle_ we're talking about. Trust me, if he asked, I definitely would."

"Mm, you're welcome to him if you want. Perhaps he can get an inside look on how the morgue runs.." Kate suggested wistfully. Chance would be a fine thing.

"Oh no, it's you he wants. Not that I blame him, mind. No, he'd have to be either blind, stupid or gay not to want you!"

"Well, I think it's safe to say he isn't gay," she finished her third glass of wine and poured herself another glass. "Anyway, I think I'll just carry on the way I am, hope he gets bored and leaves me alone in a couple of weeks."

"Trust me, you'll change your mind soon enough," Lanie smirked and Kate rolled her eyes once again.

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**_A/N: reviews would make me happier than chocolate. And chocolate makes me happy._**

**_twitter - holaitsjade | tumblr - stanaabanana_**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: To the guest reviewer who said "don't we already have a story like this with alost the same title" - if there is, I haven't read it. I searched 'girl talk' and found only one other similar story - which only has two chapters and hasn't been updated in two years. If this guest reviewer is thinking of a different story, please PM me the link or something and I'll check it out, check I'm not making mine the same. Sorry that you all had to read that, much easier when people leave comments like that from their own accounts! But thank you to everyone else for all of your lovely reviews, and thank you to everyone who has suggested times for other chats, they've been added to my list!**

******Also, I'm super sorry that it's really short, but I literally haven't been able to write this story because I've had writers block, I've just been stuck, but I wanted to update with something and this is the result!**

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**Timing: after 2x01, Deep in Death.**

Lanie was confused. Less than 24 hours ago, she'd been having a conversation with Kate about how she couldn't believe she was going to have to put up with Castle for the morning, and how she was extremely annoyed at the press she was supposed to be doing as the inspiration behind Castle's new book. And now, she had Kate sat on an autopsy table at 7am, saying she had agreed for Castle to come back and shadow her.

"So let me get this straight, you tell him not to look into your mothers case and he looks into your mothers case. You tell him if he looks into said case, the two of you are done, yet he does it anyway. You don't speak to him for god knows how long because of what he did, and then the second he comes in and says 'I'm sorry' you forgive him and take him back?" Lanie rattled off.

"Uh, yeah, pretty much," Kate replied. When Lanie put it like that, it sounded pretty ridiculous. "But Lanie, you didn't see him, when he apologised..god, he really meant it."

"You do realise he's probably still trying to get into your pants, right?"

Beckett rolled her eyes. She had made it perfectly clear that she wasn't sleeping with him, he was hanging around for book research. "He's here for the story, Lanie."

"Girl, you have been spending way too much time with that man, you're even starting to sound like him! I don't care if he said he's sorry and _meant_ _it_, he still disrespected your wishes and went behind your back!" Lanie said, it wasn't that she was necessarily against him coming back, but she had been the one to pick up the pieces when he had looked into her moms case and she wasn't going to sit back and let him break her heart into a million pieces again.

"I know, Lanie," Kate whined, "but look what he found..surely it was worth it.."

"Mm, and that's why you turned up to my apartment when he did it and practically bit my head off for suggesting exactly what you've just said?" Lanie said, she wasn't letting Kate get away with this easily, she wanted the best for her friend and if that meant no more Richard Castle then so be it.

Kate sighed and rolled her eyes again, bad habit. "Yeah, but I was in shock then, I've let it sink in since and realised you were right." Kate thought that by telling Lanie she was right then she'd drop it. Unfortunately that didn't seem to be happening.

"Do you like him?" Lanie asked bluntly.

"Do I..what?" Kate hadn't expected that question and she wasn't entirely sure what Lanie meant, there were many ways to take that comment and she wasn't going to answer it without being completely clear on what Lanie meant.

Lanie smiled. The fact that Kate hadn't answered straight away had practically answered the question for her, though she knew that when she clarified what she meant that Kate would deny it. "I said, do you like him? As in, are you attracted to him? Do you have feelings for him? Do you want to rip his-"

"Okay okay, Lanie, I get the point," Kate interrupted before Lanie went too far. "No, I don't." Lanie raised her eyebrows. "What? We're..friends, I guess. Which is more than I would have said when we first met."

"Oh Kate, when are you going to stop denying it?" Lanie said, "no, let me finish. You work with him day in day out, the guy has changed since you met him, he's been going on less and less dates with bimbos - and no, those two strippers he had wrapped around him earlier don't count - and he's not only here for the story, you can't seriously believe that."

"Look, Lanie, I know you're only trying to look out for me and I appreciate it but I can make my own decisions, okay? So what if he is just trying to get into my pants? It's not like anything has changed, I'm not going to let him and I'm pretty sure he'll give up any day now if that is what he's here for." She took a breath and continued, "my job isn't easy, Lanie and I swear to god if you repeat what I'm about to say then you'll be on your own autopsy table, but he makes my job easier, more fun. The past year..Lanie, can't you tell I'm not the same person anymore? It's because of him."

"The Kate Beckett I knew would never let a man change her." Lanie stated simply.

"And you're right, the Kate Beckett you know would _never_ let a man change her," Beckett said, "but I haven't changed for him, I did it for me. It just so happened that it was him that triggered it."

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**A/N: Thoughts would be appreciated, as well as the next chat I could write. Otherwise, I'll hopefully get another one up over the weekend!**

**twitter - holaitsjade | tumblr - stanaabanana**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: woah, hey - remember me? I'm SO sorry this story hasn't been updated in over a month, but I got a bit stuck as to what to write. And then wrote like four other stories (two of which are ongoing if you feel like checking them out ;)). But I thought I'd give you another Lanie and Beckett chat, see how many of you are still with me! I think I've resigned myself to admitting none of these will be very long, but I'll make it a priority to keep updating!**

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**Timing: directly after A Rose for Everafter. **_Cause we all love a jealous Beckett ;)_

"So, you still denying you were jealous?" Lanie asked. Her and Kate were out for drinks after work, choosing one of their favourite bars to relax and talk in.

"I wasn't jealous!" Beckett said, "not in the slightest. Castle and I are just friends, nothing to be jealous of." She was lying and she had a feeling Lanie knew that. Of course she had been jealous, his ex-fiancée had shown up and she had been brushed off like she was nothing!

"Mm hmm, whatever you say," Lanie grinned. Kate was jealous and she knew it. "Like I said, the guy writes _that_ sex scene in his book about the two of you and then his ex shows up and you aren't jealous? Right.."

"Nikki and Rook," Beckett replied through gritted teeth. "The sex scene was between Nikki and Rook, _not_ me and him!"

"Only 'cause you're too stubborn to give in to him," Lanie muttered and Kate narrowed her eyes at the ME. "Oh don't look at me like that, even you can't deny sex with Richard Castle would be out of this world."

Kate remained silent and Lanie took that for what it was - agreement. Her friend was right - no matter how much he annoyed her, drove her up the wall or wouldn't shut up, Lanie had a point - even without the tabloid stories she would have thought he'd be good in bed.

A few drinks later and Lanie was halfway to getting what she wanted. "Do you know what he said?" Beckett asked, taking another sip of her martini, "he said 'she's the one that got away.'" She held up her hands to impersonate quotation marks at that and Lanie held back a laugh. "I mean, why didn't he just go after her? And if she's the one that got away, well maybe she just couldn't put up with him for any longer!"

_Not jealous my ass,_ Lanie thought to herself. "They were young, Kate, don't you have a guy like that? The one that you wish more than any others that it worked out?"

Kate thought about it for a moment. If she was honest, she didn't. She would have liked to have had more of a chance to explore her relationship with Will..they'd had a great six months, but she guessed she always knew he'd choose the job over her and she'd choose her job over him - not a great basis for a long lasting relationship. And then there was Royce.._don't go there, Beckett_, she warned herself. Even Lanie didn't know how she felt about Royce.

"We're not talking about me, Lanie," Kate grumbled, "we're talking about Richard 'I'm so amazing and everybody loves me' Castle."

"You know, if this is you _not_ jealous then I'd love to see you actually admitting you're jealous."

Kate ignored her. "Ugh and that _Kyra_..do you know what she said to me? She said it was 'funny' that I called him Castle because when she knew him it was just 'Rick'." She paused, taking another two gulps of her drink. Lanie was going to have to start replacing them with orange juice soon or Kate wasn't making it to work tomorrow. "Oh I'm sorry," she said in sarcastically. "I didn't realise I couldn't call him Castle. Ugh.."

"Sweetie, I think it's time to get you home," Lanie suggested.

"But Lanie," Kate whined, "we're talking! One more drink?"

"Okay, one more and then I'm taking you home, okay?"

"Yes mom," Kate said, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, be honest," Lanie began as their next - and final - drinks arrived. "Why has this effected you more than before?"

"Before?"

"Yeah. You've met Meredith, wife number one and you weren't like this. And you've met wife number two as well, right?" Kate nodded. "So why this one. You're fine about the ones he actually married but Kyra shows up and you're like a teenage girl!"

Lanie had a point, Kate realised. "I don't know..I mean, they were together for three years..did either of his marriages even last that long? And she knew him before the books, before the money and fame and I know that guy is still there underneath and that's the one I want." The words were out before she had realised what she was saying and Lanie couldn't hide her grin.

"And that's what I was waiting for," Lanie squealed, "I knew you wanted him!"

"What..no, I-"

"You can't deny it now, Kate, I heard you!"

"You repeat any of what I just said and the next murder we'll be investigating will be yours," Kate grumbled, cheeks turning red.

"Secrets safe with me," Lanie promised. "And you know what? There's a reason it didn't work out with Kyra. I mean I doubt she'd thought about him in years - she was about to get married to someone else for crying out loud!"

"Mm, maybe..but he dedicated a book to her!"

"He dedicated one to you, too," Lanie pointed out.

"He kissed her!"

"What are you trying to do?" Lanie asked. "'Cause two hours ago you were telling me you weren't jealous.."

"Oh of course I'm jealous, you know that. I guess..I don't know, I just maybe thought me and him..you know, might have a chance at somepoint. But then he kisses his ex fiancee!"

"And what did she say to you as she left?" Lanie pressed, Kate had already told her this but it seemed the detective needed reminding herself.

"She said he's all yours," Beckett admitted reluctantly.

"Exactly. Now come on, I'm taking you home so you can sleep this off and them you're going to go into work tomorrow and Castle is going to be there too. And you're going to get a new body and Kyra will be forgotten about because _you_ are his future Kate, not her."

"Thank you, Lanie," Beckett said, "what would I do without you?"

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**A/N: sad time for baby Beckett but hope I did the chat okay..well it was just drunk Beckett rambling as opposed to an actual chat! Reviews make me happy :)**

**twitter - holaitsjade | tumblr - stanaabanana**


	5. Chapter 5

**Timing: after Sucker Punch **_(basically ignore chapter 1 of this story and pretend Lanie didn't know until now, like the show.)_

After their impromptu dinner date - which was categorically _not_ a date - Kate and Castle said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. He had offered to keep her company for a while longer but she had politely declined. She was beginning to realise her feelings ran deeper than she wanted to admit but she still wasn't ready for _that_. Not that he would force her into anything, she knew him better than that but she wasn't entirely sure she'd be able to stop herself if he did try anything.

Pulling out her cell, she brought Lanie's number up onto the screen and began the call. "Hey Lanie," Kate said when her friend answered. "Are you free tonight?"

"Kate! Yeah I am, you want some company?" Lanie offered.

"If you wouldn't mind.." She was sure Lanie had heard about what had happened in the precinct earlier that afternoon and could really do with her best friend right now.

"I'll be there in 20," Lanie promised and Kate smiled as she cut the call off.

True to her word, Lanie showed up on Kate's doorstep less than half an hour later with a bottle of wine in her hands. "Thought you could do with a drink after the day you've had," she said in way of a hello as Kate answered the door.

"You read my mind," Kate grinned, heading to the kitchen to get them both glasses. "Thanks for coming over.."

"You're my best friend Kate and after the day you've had I figured you could do with someone to talk to."

"You're right about that!" Kate said, sinking onto the sofa with her drink.

"Listen, Kate," Lanie began, "I just want to say I'm sorry for what I did, not-"

"Hey," Kate interrupted, "don't worry about it."

"Just..I'm sorry, okay?"

"I know you are Lanie. But you were probably right anyway, chances are I would have bitten your head off, just like I did with Castle. And as usual, he was right - just, don't tell him I said that!" The last thing she needed to do was feed Richard Castle's ego, especially after what she had said to him earlier.

"Secrets safe with me," Lanie laughed. "So, how're you really feeling?"

"I'm fine, Lanie.,

"Uh huh, and I'm the queen of England. So, how are you feeling?"

Kate let out a laugh at that, she should have known Lanie would see straight through her. "I'm alright, honestly. It was a tough day but I'm a cop, it's always pretty tough."

"And uh, you glad he's dead?"

"I don't know actually," Kate said. She hadn't really had much of a chance to think about it since it had happened - what with having the body removed, half of the precinct rushing around checking no officers were down, Castle constantly fussing, asking if she was okay and the mountain of paperwork they had to fill out because of the shooting. "I mean, yeah, I guess I am in a way because he was an evil, horrific man. He killed people..just like that, no conscience and he deserved nothing less. If he's not around then he can't ruin anyone else's life. But then..he was the biggest lead we had on my moms case and now that's gone. I know he was going to get away but I knew who he was and what he knew..even if he wouldn't have told us I would have liked to think we would have got him in the end."

"Oh, so it's _we_ now is it?" Lanie asked with a smirk.

"I..what?"

"What you just said. It was the biggest lead 'we' had and 'we' would have got him. Guess you really have let Castle in."

Kate was on the verge of denying it but realised Lanie was right. She _had_ been including Castle in that and she meant it. "I uh, sort of told him I wanted him around earlier."

"Oh you did, did you?" Lanie arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Kate blushed slightly and ducked her head. "He brought dinner and said he wasn't going to follow me around anymore-"

"He did _what_?"

"I know, tell me about it. But um, yeah I said I'd gotten used to having him around and that I wanted him there when I caught whoever it is that's behind my moms murder."

"I'm proud of you, you know?" Lanie smiled. "I know how hard you took your moms murder and how hard you tried to find something..and now you're happier than I've ever seen you, it looks good on you."

"Yeah well, as much as I hate to admit it, having a man child of a writer shadowing you at work everyday sort of does that to a person. Sometimes you can't help but laugh at his ridiculous jokes and theories."

"Oh I know," Lanie agreed. "That man cracks me up sometimes! And I swear Ryan hangs onto his every word."

"Oh don't," Kate groaned, "he seems to think Castle is the coolest thing since sliced bread..I see him copying the way Castle walks and things sometimes, it's hilarious!"

"And I think even Javi looks to Castle sometimes.."

"You think?" Kate questioned. "I always got the idea he found him annoying.."

"Yeah well, you said you found him annoying when you first met him - now look!"

"Yeah I guess," Kate laughed. "Hey, thanks Lanie..this was just what I needed after my day!"

"Anytime, girl, you know that," Lanie smiled.


End file.
